


Talk

by rudbeckia



Series: Random Worlds [13]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 05:46:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11867958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudbeckia/pseuds/rudbeckia
Summary: Mitaka is giving a speech in place of Hux, but his voice just isn't right for the task. Hux offers Mitaka a series of private, one-to-one voice coaching sessions.Ren, of course, objects.Follows on fromCombative





	Talk

Mitaka stood outside the plain durasteel door of the general’s office, brushed imaginary lint from his tunic, straightened his cap and pressed his hand to the entry panel. The door slid open and he marched in, removed the cap from his head and slotted it under his arm, then delivered a perfect salute and stood to attention.

“Ah, lieutenant. Thank you for being so punctual. At ease.”

He relaxed but only a little. The general got up from behind his desk and walked over, holding out a datapad.  
“If you would be so good as to read this?”

Mitaka gave a curt nod and a softly hissed _yessir_ then directed his attention to the document on the screen. He read for a few seconds.

“Aloud, please!”

He glanced at the general’s face. Was he annoyed? Amused? Scornful? Mitaka swallowed, sucked his lower lip, cleared his throat and spoke.

_”Good afternoon, cadets, and congratulations on attaining a place at this most prestigious institution. You have just heard from the outgoing Cadet-General about the practicalities of life in the First Order Academy, so I will instead—”_

“No, no, no! Stop!”

Mitaka’s voice faltered and he sagged under the weight of imagined criticism.

“Try again, lieutenant, but this time be more forceful with your manner. You are there to instil in our cadets a sense of the greatness and rightness of the goals of the First Order. From the beginning.”

Mitaka nodded, held the datapad tightly with both hands and spoke a little louder. He made it through most of the first paragraph before General Hux snatched it from him.

“You sound as if you are reading Colonel Kaplan’s daily hangar log. Read it with LIFE! Start again. Stand up straighter, project your voice.” General Hux gestured with his hands. “And there’s nothing wrong with a well-placed fist and an accompanying look of grim determination. Like this.”

The general read the same paragraph and Mitaka could not tear his eyes away. He accepted the datapad back with a sigh. The general frowned.  
“Is something wrong, lieutenant?”  
“No, sir.” Mitaka looked at the words in front of him with anticipated failure already crushing his chest. “It’s just that I will never be as good at this kind of thing as you are. I do not want to disappoint.”

The general frowned in silence for a few more seconds then his expression cleared and Mitaka basked in the sudden warmth of a smile.  
“Good thing you’re a fast learner, then. We’d better begin with some breathing exercises.”

***

Hux met Ren and Phasma later that evening for dinner. He greeted his co-commanders then, as usual, launched straight into whatever occupied his mind.  
“Mitaka needs to learn to be the face of the First Order for when I am too busy. He’s the most suitable for the honour, don’t you agree?”

Phasma smirked. Ren gave a noncommittal _hmm_ and Hux ignored it.  
“He has all the right qualities to become a poster-boy. He’s acceptably handsome, if a bit boy-next-door-ish, he graduated top of his class, he is on a fast track to promotion, and I am often surprised by what he can do with my ventral cannon.”

Phasma thumped her chest and coughed.  
Ren’s fork clattered to his plate and he glared at Hux. “I bet you are.”

Hux nodded. “There’s a public speaking showcase amongst the ranks in a few weeks. I thought I might persuade Mitaka to let me enter him. What do you think?”

“Why should I care?” Ren abandoned his meal and walked out.

Hux turned to Phasma, mystified. “What in the galaxy is he upset about?”

 

***

Mitaka’s heart beat faster when he read his comms, and he almost spilled his caf. There was one personal message from the general. It contained a schedule of daily one to one voice coaching sessions to be conducted by the general himself! He imported all sessions to his diary and tried to calm his warming cheeks before anyone misinterpreted his blush. It was, he told himself, an honour that the general chose to take a kind, personal interest in his professional advancement.

Between the end of his duty and the beginning of his appointment with General Hux, there was only just time to use the ‘fresher and put on a clean uniform. Pushing aside the tub of _First, Order!_ gel, Mitaka slicked his hair back with a generous dollop of precious _Ancient Mariner_ brand that had been a gift, used sparingly for special occasions. He checked his chrono one last time. He would be at the door of the general’s quarters precisely one minute early.

***

Hux answered the door and let Mitaka in personally.  
“I appreciate your punctuality. Please forgive these informal surroundings.”

Mitaka mumbled something. Hux laughed.  
“Oh come on. Millicent got your tongue? Enunciate clearly at all times, please.”

“I said it’s quite all right, sir.”  
Hux watched the young man for a few seconds then walked around to stand behind him.  
“Good. Now, show me the breathing exercise I demonstrated yesterday.”

Mitaka corrected his posture and took a deep breath in. Hux placed both arms around Mitaka, one hand on his stomach and the other on his ribs. Mitaka jumped forwards in alarm. Hux pulled his hands away.

“Lieutenant, I need to know you are doing this correctly. If you are uncomfortable with physical contact I can assign you another voice coach.”

Mitaka half turned to look at Hux. “No! I mean, no sir. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”

“Oh! In that case I apologise for startling you. May I?”

Mitaka nodded and faced forwards again. Hux slipped his hands back into place and ordered Mitaka to begin. Mitaka closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, counted to ten while visualising carrying out this exercise nude, and breathed out slowly. It may have been his imagination, but the general seemed to have moved in closer and murmured praise in his ear.

They got through five repetitions before the door opened and Kylo Ren strode in, helmet on and robe billowing behind.  
“General, a word.”

“Not now, Ren! You can see I’m busy.” Hux sighed. “Please continue with your breathing exercise, lieutenant.”

Mitaka had barely taken another breath when he saw Ren’s hand reach out. He couldn’t exhale: it felt like all the muscles in his chest froze and prevented his lungs from emptying. His head swam after a few seconds and he passed out.

Hux held on, some reflex preventing him from letting Mitaka fall. He regarded the unconscious lieutenant in his arms and guided him to the floor. He looked up at Ren.  
“Really, Ren, that was uncalled for. You could have said _please_ and I would have stopped. What was so important that you felt the need to administer a near-death experience to my protége?”

Hux rolled Mitaka onto his side and tilted his head so he wouldn’t suffocate or choke. Ren paced the room.  
“It’s obscene!”  
“What?” asked Hux. “Voice coaching? Maybe you should indulge me too and take lessons so that you could dispense with that ridiculous vocoder!”  
“No!” Ren pointed at the lieutenant. “Him. His thoughts when he’s near you. I won’t have it!”

Hux stood up and glared at Ren.  
“What. The sith. Are you taking about.”  
“Your _protége_ wants more from you than breathing exercises. He wants you for a lover.”  
“Don’t be ridiculous, Ren.” Hux walked over to the door and hovered his hand over the _open_ pad. “Even if that were true, we do not all feel the need to act out every emotional impulse. Now,” he hit the pad. “Please leave and try not to break anything important.”

Ren snarled but strode out. Hux knelt beside Mitaka and frowned. Ren’s accusation was completely unfounded. Surely he had walked in and simply misinterpreted the way they were standing so close together that Hux could feel Mitaka’s warmth through their clothes and inhale with him, breathing in that delicious non-regulation scent he’d worn. Hux thought over the scant circumstantial evidence of Mitaka’s grateful enthusiasm for these extra sessions, his initial nervousness at physical contact and his immaculate grooming, and came to the conclusion that Ren should be renamed _Darth Possessive the Idiotic._

Mitaka stirred and groaned. Hux patted his arm.  
“You’re okay, lieutenant, Ren’s gone. Let me help you up.”  
Mitaka pushed himself up to sit and accepted support from Hux to stand. He stumbled. Hux caught him and guided him to the sofa.  
“I think that’s enough voice work for now but you should keep practising that exercise until it feels natural.” Hux laughed and added, “Ren thinks you would like to seduce me and he gets jealous. I'm sure that will amuse you next time you see him in passing.”

Perhaps it was the lingering aftereffects of having his breath stopped by the Force, or perhaps it was some delirium of his own devising but instead of an embarrassed, vehement denial, Mitaka shrugged. He found a voice with more confidence than he actually felt.  
“What would you do if he was correct?”  
“Well,” replied Hux with a soft laugh. “This.”

Without another word, Hux leaned forward and kissed the surprised lieutenant, took his hand and led him to his bedroom.


End file.
